Halloween in Hazzard
by Samwise Baggins
Summary: A few spooky stories set the Duke cousins up for an adventure most would rather not have.
1. Bo's Story

Title: Bo's Story

Author: Sam

Series: Halloween in Hazzard: 1 of 10

Rating: PG-15: Sexual Innuendo, Language, Minor-Violence

Characters so far: Bo, Daisy, Luke, Jesse, Enos, Cooter, Balladeer

Summary: A few scary stories set the Duke cousins up for a night most would rather not have.

Spoiler: Basically, random episodes from the series, though I have purposely set this before Bo and Luke switch out to the racing circuit.

Category: Comedy, Paranormal

Setting: Hazzard County

Disclaimer: Dukes of Hazzard is a trademark of Warner Brothers. I am in no way connected with these people, and I do not claim ownership to these characters, lands, or names. I have borrowed them to share a story... and most likely not a story any of them would have written had they had the time or no. I am making no money from this, and it is just for my entertainment, and that of free entertainment to a select group of friends. Thank You.

Distribution: Please ask first?

Note: These ghost stories are based on real events that happened to me, my friends, and my family. Though I have set them in the world of the Dukes of Hazzard and only used characters from the show (no Mary Sues here). This first one happened to me and my roommate Merrianna. Please enjoy.

Second Note: I do not set a particular time line for my stories, however, by the characters introduced you may be able to figure where it can fit it on your own. Enjoy, without getting too hard on my placement?

Feedback: Yes, please? Especially constructive.

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_**Balladeer: On a dirt road, with a wide swath of torn up, beat down, mud stained gravel, stands a white washed building resembling nothing more than a good ole country pit stop; which is what it is. This here's the Boar's Nest, and it's the classiest joint in the whole of Hazzard County. And, as you can see, it's hopping most every day of the week, even Sundays, which is when folks need the most hopping to get a good jump on the coming week. Those little kitty cats and pumpkins all over the windows don't mean it's a playground, neither. No, the Boar's Nest is where anyone who's anyone goes for good beer, good tunes, and some good ole fashion dirty dealing, cause that man there in the white suit is Boss Hogg, and he owns the Boar's Nest and just about everything a man has a right to own in one county, and then some. He does business in the backroom while the party goes on in the front, all neat and tidy like. And, if'n you ain't figured it out by them little cardboard cutouts pasted everywhere, it's Halloween, and they's throwing a party. And what's a Halloween party without a scary story or two. Sounds like fun, don't it? Well, that's what them Duke Boys thought, too, when they was invited over to join the shindig. Ah, them there's the Duke Boys. The tall blond one's Bo Duke, and the stocky brunet is Luke Duke. They's cousins and with their sassy cousin Daisy, she's the one in the shorts... and I mean short... and their Uncle Jesse, over there drinking a brew at the bar, they fight any injustice that comes their way. And in Hazzard County, fighting injustice means fighting the police, the city hall, and most everyone else in power or money, which means Boss Hogg, who, as I said before, owns the county. Now ain't that 'nough to give you a dizzy spell? And that brings us back to the party, and them scary stories I mentioned.**_

"Whoee girl, I sure do like your costume." Bo raised a glass to grinning lips, eyeing his cousin Daisy as she sashayed past.

She wore a pair of black short shorts with a long cat's tail in the rear, a black tank top, and a headband with black furry cat ears sewn on. With a playful grin, she flipped her hair and stopped by a table, bending low to serve drinks over the table of costumed farmers. The sight of her derriere thrust out was enough to make many a man need a quick cold shower, but it merely pulled a loud laugh from her hot-blooded cousin, Bo.

Luke backhanding Bo's chest drew the young man's attention away from the show of feminine sensuality and back to the circle of chairs gathered 'round the middle of the Boar's Nest floor. There was only one table in the center of the ring, and on it was a bowl of water set in the middle of a dark lavender cloth. In the bowl was a piece of cork fastened by hot wax to a long steel hatpin. At the moment, it was bobbing peacefully, the sharp end pointed directly at the laughing Bo Duke.

"Your turn, Cous. Give us a story." Luke was dressed in red slacks with a red flannel shirt to match, with a long tail and pointed horns, courtesy of Daisy's clever sewing. Next to his chair rested an old fiddle that had belonged to Daisy's father, gilded gold just for the occasion.

Luke sipped at the beer in his hand, coaxing it to last. One of the rules of this particular backwoods game was that the first person with an empty glass had to fill them all from his own wallet. Luke didn't intend to be the one out the fee of fifteen or more beers. Another rule was that the poor sucker the compass pointed at was the one who had to tell a story. And that was what Bo was now required to do.

With a shrug, Bo tipped his chair back and cocked his cowboy hat back while taking a drink. He looked thoughtful, one hand on the big rodeo belt bucket he'd dug out of his closet. He was dressed as a bronc buster, using some of his father's long discarded extras, and so far it had been a hit at the party, mostly because Hazzard County didn't get a lot of the rodeo circuit around there. Finally, setting his chair back on all four legs, Bo leaned forward and spoke in an excited voice.

"Well, it begun when me and my cousins were little. We'd been out walking the Black Holler road round 'bout two in the mornin'. It were late fall and the moon was so full you could see over the fields plum to Uncle Jesse's still. There weren't a soul round but me and Luke and Enos. You 'member that, Enos?"

_**Balladeer: That there's Enos Straight, the most honest lawman in these parts, and that's saying somethin'. His daddy used to run moonshine with Bo's daddy and Luke's daddy, back before they'd all grown up and Enos joined the law and the Duke cousins got on probation. Now the Duke's aren't allowed to run shine, or anything else, without landing in Federal prison, and Enos works for Boss Hogg trying to catch the Duke's at one thing or another so as to keep them out of his illegal business affairs. At least, Boss Hogg wants to catch the Duke boys and throw away the key. Enos just wants to uphold the law without breaking old loyalties. And that there's the bind for ole Enos most of the time, ain't it?**_

Enos, dressed in a white suit and hat, nodded with a grin. His costume was noticeably that of Boss Hogg, for which he'd gotten a lot of static at the beginning of the night. Now that everyone had grown accustomed to seeing him in it, though, he could relax and enjoy the games they were playing. "Yeah, I remember, Bo. That was the night..."

"Hey, who's telling this story, Enos? You or me?" Bo frowned at his long time friend.

With a sheepish nod, Enos settled back in his chair. "Sorry, Bo. I got excited. I ain't remembered that all these year until now."

Bo's sunny smile flashed on again. Bo Duke wasn't one to stay mad for long. He took a swig, his mug almost empty, and nodded. "Well, as I was saying, it were just us three around as far as the eye could see. And that ole hound dog of Jesse's, o' course. 'Member that ole dog, Luke?"

"Yup," Luke settled his own chair back on two legs, crossing his ankles and stretching so that his red shirt rucked up and exposed his lean belly. "But I ain't tellin' the story, Bo."

With a laugh, Bo turned back to the men in the circle, ignoring Daisy's approach. "Well, we was walkin' down that road when Luke done noticed the hound weren't with us no more. He'd up and taken off. We started lookin' for the hound when this gut low growling started up from where we'd come from. It was real low and mean, sound like it come from somewhere deep in the belly of the earth. Ain't no sound I heard before, or after... ain't something I wanna hear again, neither."

The crowd was looking a bit disappointed with Bo's ghost story, but they quit grumbling as the young man leaned even further forward and continued. "Now, that growling was enough to make any man turn tail, and we was just bitty kids, so we done what any boy'd do..." His eyes met Uncle Jesse's across the room, and Bo's smile widened, knowing the clan patriarch hadn't yet heard of this little adventure. "We called the damn dog and went looking for what was making the racket."

Jesse, dressed in a worn fisherman's gear, complete with bait hat and rod, moseyed over to listen better. He stood right next to the riveted Daisy, sipping his own mug and watching the boys he'd helped raise jawing with the locals. Bo's voice, normally merry and quite self-pleased, was low with a sense of anticipation.

"Well, wouldn't you know it, we get right up to that growling noise, and the closer we get, the more it trembles in the guts. That stupid hound weren't nowhere to be found, and we was beginning to think that were a good idea. Before we could take one more step, though, Luke said something that put the fear into us so bad I never forget it. He said, 'Bo, Enos, there ain't nothing growling'."

Sounds were muted around the Boar's Nest as everyone listened intently.

In a low voice, Bo continued, "We looked 'round, and wouldn't ya know he was dead right? Like I said 'fore, we could see plum into Atlanta just 'bout, and there weren't nothing 'round. See, the light was so bright, and it being so late in the season that the plants and such were died off from frost, there weren't nowhere anything could hide bigger'n a rabbit. And a rabbit don't growl like he just come up from outta a pit, neither. We could hear that growling coming from the road right in front of us, but... there... weren't... nothing... there..."

Daisy shuddered and pressed into Jesse, who slipped a comforting arm around his niece. He didn't say a word to interrupt, waiting for Bo's ending before breaking in. After all, right or wrong, it made a damn fine telling.

Bo leaned back in his chair. "Well, we high tailed it back down that road, hoping to all that's Holy that something weren't gonna leap outta thin air to attack us. Once we passed that spot, the growling started followin' us down that Black Holler Road a long spell afore it seemed to give up and just stop. Didn't fade off or run on, it just plain stopped. And that's when Jesse's ole hound joined back up with us, coming out of the ditch as if he'd been told to sit and wait right there the whole time. I ain't never forget that noise to this day, neither."

With that, Bo's chair legs snapped back onto the floor with a sound akin to thunder in the hushed room. Daisy let out a scream and buried her face in Jesse's shoulder and most everyone there looked like they'd been shot or something. Luke broke out into a loud belly laugh, reaching down to help his cousin off the floor. Relief was evident as everyone settled to a deep drink and a good laugh over the story and fall.

_**Balladeer: Well, Jesse got Daisy calmed down while Enos went to fetch Bo a new chair. One of them farmer's reached over to spin the compass again, eager for another scarey story. Cooter showed up dressed real dapper like and got ready to join the games, along with Jesse and Daisy, once she stopped being mad at Bo for scaring half her life away. And it was Bo that had to pay for drinks, seeing as his mug got emptied first, on account of spilling when his chair broke out from under him. So, don't you head to the fridge now, hear?**_

To Be Continued in: Jesse's Story (Chapter Two)


	2. Jesse's Story

Title: Jesse's Story

Author: Sam

Series: Halloween in Hazzard: 2 of 10

Characters added: Lulu and Roscoe

Note: This chapter is based on events that (again) happened to me and Merrianna.

Feedback: Yes, please? Especially constructive.

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_**Balladeer: I don't know 'bout y'all, but that last story were more like a pat on the head than something to shake the bones. Let's see what ole Jesse's got up his sleeve.**_

Chair settled firmly on four legs, Jesse Duke considered the bobbing compass in the bowl. It was pointed directly at him, much to everyone's delight, since Jesse was considered one of the best storytellers in those parts. He nodded and slowly looked up at the crowd of expectant faces around him. "Well, I wasn't all that young or foolhardy when I seen me a ghost. And it was on Black Holler Road, just like the boys seen."

"Only with us, we heard rather than seen." Bo set the fresh drinks before everyone, helping Daisy with the large round. He slipped into the chair Enos had provided.

Jesse frowned at the young blond, though. "Now, you done had your turn, Bo Duke, so let that tongue of yourn rest whilst I tell my tale." As Bo grinned, lifting his mug for a drink, Jesse turned back to the rapt audience.

"Now as I was sayin', I was not quite as young as the boys had been, but not as old as a man should be, when I got my chance at a ghost. We was drivin' down Black Holler Road in an old, beat up truck my daddy owned. It was me and my sister in the truck that day and we was goin' to meet up with some friends down back by the Black Holler Pond."

After a long, thoughtful drink, the older man nodded again and continued in the same, slow manner. "Well, it was gettin' on to sunset when we passed the beat up old Fuller place. It was still standing strong back then, though weren't nobody livin' there for nigh on five years. Well, my sister was looking out the window on her side, commentin' on the scenery and such, jus' passin' time like girls do. And I was lookin' out for anythin' blockin' the road from the last big storm we'd had."

Bo jumped in again. "Was that the one that took down the ole..."

Uncle Jesse's glare shut Bo up quick, and the younger man settled back in his chair with a sheepish look as the elder went on with his tale.

"Now, out of nowhere come this big ole dog, only he's white as snow and looks more wolf than dog. He tears over towards Sissy's side o' the truck, his mouth agoin' but no sound comin' out, and that's when I notice he's so big, he can look right in the window as he's runnin' up aside us. Mind, we was goin' a good clip, thirty mile an hour or more, and he just keepin' right up with us. Then Sissy, still lookin' out that window, screams that the dog was smilin' at her. Weren't no dog look, neither, but that his face gone and turned funny-like and his mouth grinnin' up like on a human. I hit the brakes right there, wantin' that dog in front or back behind or anywhere but right next to us. And he drop back real quick, as if I'd a gunned her 'stead of stoppin'. I start up that truck real slow like, lookin' in the rearview the entire time. And then, I seen it disappear. It just faded out. I hit them brakes again and watched in the mirror as it continued to fade like a television light going dark. And when it weren't there no more, that's when I step on the gas and tear on outta there."

The men gathered round were quiet, staring wide eyed at the man who'd just finished talking. When the door slammed open, everyone in the room jumped 'bout a mile and there were gasps from some of the women folk... and a couple of the menfolk, too.

Everyone turned to stare at the pair just entering. There stood Lulu Hogg, Boss Hogg's wife, dressed in a long sheet, done up like a Grecian toga. Her hand was resting regally on the arm of her baby brother, Roscoe Coltrane, Sheriff and all-around flunky to Boss. He, too, was dressed in toga fashion, but his expression was more sullen than regal.

Around the room, men raised to their feet, privately glad, each and every one, that there was a good interruption to hide their reactions to the story Jesse told. With an expansive smile, Lulu tugged Roscoe into the party and asked, in an overly loud voice, "Can we join the party, boys?"

_**Balladeer: I don't know 'bout y'all, but I sure am glad for the distraction. Makes me no wanna drive down that ole Black holler Road or any near it after dark. Well, they naturally let Lulu and Roscoe join in, makin' room for the pair at the center table. And that there cork compass was give a good spin, landing on a fella here, a fella there, until it ended back on one o' the Duke Clan... pretty lil' Daisy Duke. So, don't y'all go away now, hear?**_

To Be Continued in: Daisy's Story (Chapter Three)


	3. Daisy's Story

Title: Daisy's Story (revised)

Author: Sam

Series: Halloween in Hazzard: 3 of 10

Characters added: none added

Note: After reading my story, Mom got upset at the way I'd told what had happened to her in this chapter... yes that was my Mom and Uncle Frank that lived through this encounter. Thus, Mom wrote up the facts for me and handed them over, insisting I rewrite it accurately, which I have done. Thus, this is the revised version of _Daisy's Story_.

Feedback: Yes, please? Especially constructive.

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_**Balladeer: Now, I'll tell y'all right now that if anyone done hurt our Daisy, I'll be mad as a polecat with his stink removed.**_

When the cork compass came to point to Daisy Duke, she lightly slapped a man's shoulder. "Give a lady a chair?" Her sweet smile belied her womanly curves and sassy manner, but the combination was enough to almost always get her whatever she wanted. In this case, three separate men stood to give her their chairs, including her cousin Luke, who could often be counted on to act gentlemanly, especially if reminded. Luke got lucky, as she took someone else's chair instead, throwing him a smile of thanks anyway. Adjusting the long cat tail she was wearing, Daisy finally looked up and flashed another smile, then she leapt right into her story.

"Well, after hearing the other tales, I'd say Black holler Road is definitely some place haunted. Me, I never have been scared on that road, and don't think I ever will be. Instead, I got the scare of a lifetime on the other end of Hazzard County. "I was over on the back roads with Luke, and we were going to be watching the meteor shower they'd mentioned on the radio."

_**Balladeer: Now why is it I get the feeling that when Luke's turn come he might be plum outta stories, with him in near everyone else's?**_

Daisy wasn't disappointed to see a small grimace on Luke's face at his recognition of the story she had chosen to tell. She watched him squirm down in his chair, headless of the pointed tail he was sporting, but still careful of the fiddle he'd borrowed, whether by choice or coincidence wasn't evident. Well, she couldn't really blame him for how uncomfortable he seemed to be; it seemed Luke'd had more than his fair share of unnerving encounters on the back roads of Hazzard County.

"In August, me and Luke, my cousin, decided to watch the Persied Meteor Shower.

I drove Uncle Jesse's truck out to a deserted, dead end road. It was very dark because there were no street lights. There was a house in the distance across a field. There were very few trees or bushes in the area so we had a good view all around us. The sky was full of stars.

Luke lay down on his back in the road and I stood leaning against the driver's door of Jesse's truck looking up at the sky. We saw a few meteors flashing across the sky and we were talking to each other about the meteors. Luke was about twenty feet away from me, in front of the jeep.

Suddenly we heard a very deep menacing growling. It was coming from directly over top of Luke.

He said "Daisy, can you see what it is? It's right over me." I eased open the truck door and hit the lights. Luke was clearly illuminated in the headlights, laying on the ground in front of the truck: there was nothing there! We still heard the loud growling coming from over top of Luke.

Bo frowned. He hadn't heard of this adventure of Luke's and Daisy's, and wondered just what he'd been up to during the meteor shower to miss out. Instead of asking that, though, he prodded, "Well? Daisy, ya can't leave us hangin'! What happened?"

She smiled, savoring the moment and Bo's anxiety. Finally, she responded, "He got up slowly and headed for the truck; I jumped into the driver's side and shut my door just as Frank jumped into the passenger side and slammed his door. I backed down the road aways before I turned to head back the way we came. We still heard the growling but we saw nothing."

By then, Luke had one hand over his face, bent over in his chair. Daisy ignored this display of either humility or mirth. She ended with a flourish, "I went back in daylight but found nothing." Daisy folded her arms triumphantly over her chest.

The crowd started murmuring, but immediately hushed when Luke uncovered his face, proving he hadn't been laughing one bit. He looked straight at his cousin and said, "Daisy, I didn't tell you the worst of it."

"What's the worst of it?" The woman frowned, wondering just what Luke had held back, and how it could be worse than a floating dog that wasn't there.

Luke never broke eye contact as he softly said, "The next day I was looking at a county map and found where we were; it was marked as _Devil's Half Acre_."

A scream broke the intense moment, sending people into action, getting water and fanning poor Lulu Hogg. As men ran to fetch and help, and Daisy's jaw dropped in total disbelief, Luke sheepishly looked anywhere but at his cousin. Bo gave a whistle, down low on the scale, and shook his head.

Daisy finally let loose a huge shudder and shook her head. "No wonder you never wanted to go back there to hunt up those wild dogs!" Her voice, however, was almost faint.

_**Balladeer: Now, that's a spooky story, folks. Anyway, they got Lulu calmed down all right, and Boss come out to see what the fuss was. Uncle Jesse scolded Luke but good for scaring Daisy, and Bo got a good laugh out of that. Don't it seem a might odd, though, that all them Dukes seem to have trouble with dog ghosts? And that when it's heard but ain't seen, it's Luke that's been involved. A might off, if'n y'all ask me. It took Cooter spinning that cork to draw the party back on kilt, and wouldn't ya know'd it but Luke's the one it lands on. 'Bout time, too, 'cause I been waitin' to hear what he's got to say for his own story. And if'n it's another invisible dog, I'm agonna start thinkin' Luke is the ghost of Hazzard County.**_

To Be Continued in: Luke's Story (Chapter Four)


	4. Luke's Story

Title: Luke's Story

Author: Sam

Series: Halloween in Hazzard: 4 of 10

Rating: T: Sexual Innuendo, Language, Minor-Violence

Characters added: none

Note: This story is based on events that happened to me in Navy Bootcamp.

Second Note: Forgive any incorrect terminology. I was in the Navy when this occurred, never having served the Marines like Luke had. Thus, my terms are most likely to end up Navy, if I don't know the alternate term used by our brave Marines. Please forgive the misuse.

Feedback: Yes, please? Especially constructive.

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_**Balladeer: Well, it's Luke Duke's turn to tell a ghost story, and I don't know 'bout y'all, but if they get any worse than Daisy's, I'm leaving the party early.**_

With a grimace, Luke pushed a hand through his dark hair and gave a resentful glare at Cooter. "Why don't we let someone else go; I think enough Duke's have hogged the limelight. Why don't we let Miss Lulu go?"

Lulu giggled behind one chubby hand, smiling coyly at Luke. She adored the Duke boys because they were always so polite, going so far as to flatter and flirt with her. It wasn't certain which boy was her favorite, but as the woman didn't have any children in Hazzard County, it was sometimes thought that she treated Bo and Luke Duke like sons of a sort. Of course, Boss would have had a double heart attack if he had figured that little tidbit out. Her voice was over loud as she responded, "Oh, I haven't had anything scary happen to me. You go ahead and take your turn, Luke."

Luke sighed and looked thoughtful a long time, then, with a shake of his head, he shrugged. "I can't think of another story that happened to me in Hazzard County." He reached to spin the cork, but too many protests held him back.

Jesse's voice rose above the rest, stern in his admonishment. "Now, Luke, you know you gotta play by the rules. We need another story, and I knowd of at least one you ain't told yet."

"That one didn't happen in Hazzard, Uncle Jesse." The stocky brunet apparently didn't want to give the locals yet another story about 'hainted ole Luke Duke'; as it was, with Bo's and Daisy's stories, he was looking like a ghost magnet already.

"Well," Enos's voice was helpful, though if he'd've caught Luke's glare, he might have rethought the entire helpful bit, "the rules don't say it's gotta be in Hazzard. They just say it's gotta be something that happened to yerself." His smile beamed out enthusiastically. "So, that means you can tell yer story."

"Gee, thanks, Enos." Sarcasm ran heavy in Luke's voice, but his long time friend apparently missed it totally. Knowing he couldn't come up with another excuse without the wrath of somebody coming down on him, the twenty-something year old man finally gave in. "Okay, but y'all won't know the people I'm talking about." He took their nonchalant shrugs in step and continued.

"It happened on Parris Island while I was in Basics."

Luke could see that got the immediate attention of every person in the Boar's Nest. He'd often slip out a comment or two about when he'd been a Marine, but he never actually sat there and talked about it. Resigned, knowing that there was no way they'd let him off the hook now, Luke Duke waded on through a night he didn't particularly want to remember. He got a bit of his own back by falling into the language of the military without explaining what any of the unfamiliar words were. Let them figure things out if they could, which Luke highly doubted most of them could.

"It was after Taps and I was on Mid-shifts for the first time." Confusion was evident, so Luke relented by clarifying, "I was doing my security rounds 'round eleven that night, bunk down time, and everythin' was fine. All the doors to the barracks recruits lived in had the 'propriate areas checked off to say their own sentries had things under control, so it was the empty barracks rooms I had to concern myself with. I went to the first one and heard noises."

"Was it a hound agrowlin'?" Cooter broke in with a laugh, causing more chuckles around the table.

Luke gave Cooter a disgusted look then sighed. Shifting in his chair, inadvertently drawing attention again to his devil costume and gold fiddle, Luke shook his head. "No. No one was supposed to be there, but there was this whisperin' just beyond the door. I was armed with a light and radio and logbook. So, I hefted the flashlight and opened the door prepared to confront an intruder, and the whisperin' stopped instantly. I shone the light around that there room, but it looked normal. Two rows of bunk-beds, twenty on a side, and a center-line... uh... area in the middle of the room, straight from door to office, that had two long picnic tables with a couple a gun racks... floor units that had a good eighty twelve-pound rifles stored there, either side."

Someone whistled low, impressed with the amount of firepower just ready for use in the barracks. Luke ignored him.

"The office windows was dark, and the door were open. No one in there, or under beds or tables, neither. The lounge door was open, the windows dark, and the room empty. That left the bathroom an' laundry area. I had been checkin' out the place, keepin' my back to a wall so I couldn't be jumped, as I moved around. But always, I had one eye out on that bathroom, just in case.

I finally went over to the bathroom and heard whisperin' inside. Well, I figured I got whoever was runnin' 'round where he weren't s'pose to be, so, I opened the door. The whisperin' stopped. No sound of movement nowhere, and them voices just plain shut up. I flipped on the lights. Five toilet stalls, all without doors, and an open area leadin' to ten sinks, plus another doorway beyond... no doors in there. Also no people. I walked into the sink area, and looked into the open bay shower area. Two shower units hangin' from the ceilin' with four nozzles each. No one in there... that left the open doorway leadin' to the laundry area. So, I walked over and shone my light over the twenty washers and twenty dryers and four foldin' tables. Empty. Okay, I been hearin' things, I figure, so I left, clickin' off the light, thinkin' I'd heard voices cause I wanted to catch someone... prove I was a good sentry or somethin'."

Luke gave a nonchalant shrug, sipped his mug, and noticed that Roscoe was almost empty. Good, if he could last a bit longer, the Sheriff would be buying the next round.

"I get to the next barracks and opened the door and heard squeakin'. Sounded like someone... uh… " Suddenly, Luke changed tact, rethinking the words he had been going to use. After all, Uncle Jesse would kill him for spouting bawdy tales in front of Daisy and Miss Lulu. "jumpin' on the bunk. Now, that squeakin' noise can't be mistook, so I figure I got someone now, and I shone my flashlight over the room. There was the end bunk bouncin' up and down all right... but no one in it or under it! Just bouncin' non-stop in front of me. I must have watched it a full minute, and it didn't stop, and there was no one there."

A gasp came from Lulu, and Luke glanced over, stopping for a moment, looking for a sign that he should just say that was the end of the story. But she seemed to be okay, excited even, so he went on.

"I quickly flipped on the light, and everythin' went still. I was confused now, and a bit nervous, considerin' whispers that weren't there and bouncin' beds that had nobody in them could probably get me kicked outta boot right there, and so I merely decided that I wouldn't report it, 'cause with nothin' there, there was nothin' to report... unless it kept goin' on. So I kicked open the bathroom door, flipped on the light, gave a look, and flicked it off. Then I backed over to the main fire door and flipped the light off, ready to leave. That danged squeakin' started in again! I flicked on the flashlight, and sure enough that same bunk was bouncin' again. Since there still weren't no one there, I just high tailed it out of there, and started wonderin' if... maybe... I had really heard voices in the other barracks after all.

"At the third, I opened the door, wary, but heard and saw nothin' odd... until I realized that was the oddest yet! All the bunks, tables, and gun racks was pushed out of the way against the far side of the room, and against the walls. As if they'd been in the way of somethin'. In the center of the room, in two circles, as if set up for a town meetin', was every chair from the lounge... in two large circles. I didn't even bother with the bathroom. I called out, 'Okay, have your meetin'.' And left, backin' out.

"I was shook up, feelin' all gooseflesh, and didn't know what I'd find in the fourth... but thankfully, that barracks weren't disturbed in the least bit. I went to my own barracks, number Five, and knocked, rather than readin' the list. A boy from Florida opened the door and I asked if he'd ever stood Mid-shifts outside. He nodded and said he hated it, it was eerie. I nodded, and said 'Real eerie. In number Three are the bunks supposed to be pushed against the wall?' He just shut the door." Luke sighed and shook his head.

"So, I went back to the Officer on Sentry Desk to report in. He grinned like a fox in a hen house and asked, 'Everythin' okay?' The..." Luke left out just what he thought of his Officer, "...knew the place was haunted! So, cool as anythin', I said, 'Nothin' out of the normal.' and smiled at him. He frowned, but let that go. Next hour, I'm off to do rounds again. One, whisperin' until I open doors, check. Two, bouncin' bunk, check. Three... I was nervous, not wantin' to interrupt that there meetin', but knowin' my duty. So, I opened the door. All the bunks, tables, chairs, and gun-racks were as they shoulda been... I mean, the way a normal barracks looked. There was no sign of the circled chairs, just everythin' lined up neat as a pin. I checked it off, and didn't even bother with the bathroom. Four: all's calm and fine. I feel relief and check it off."

Bo had stopped grinning by then and was leaning forward in his chair, staring at his cousin intently. Just like most everyone else, he hadn't heard Luke talk at any length about his stint in the Marines, so this was as new to him as anyone. In fact, Jesse seemed to be the only one not surprised, like Luke'd told him everything already, which was probably right. People always tended to tell Uncle Jesse things.

Not looking directly at anyone, Luke continued his eerie tale. "Next hour: Whisperin', check. Bouncin', check. In Three, the meetin' was back on. I left and didn't even bother to check Four. I just marked it as fine... heck, it had been so far. Fourth and final hour, thank God! I walked up to One, put my ear to the door. Heard the whisperin', checked off the room without openin' it. Walked over to Two, listened. No bouncin'. Didn't care to verify, so checked it off without openin' the door. Walked right past Three, checkin' it off. Went past Four, checkin' off the empty barracks without stoppin' and headed over to number Five. Knockin' on my barracks, again, Florida answers, frownin', and I say 'I'm never doin' Mid-shifts out here again." He just nodded and shut the door, and I went back to the office. I handed the report book over to the Officer without a word 'bout the hauntin', an' he looked disappointed, and I went over to my relief. I pulled him aside, I think he was either from California or Kentucky. Whoever it was, he was from my barracks, too. So, I says, 'Number One has whisperin' you'll never find. Two has some ghost jumpin' on the bed but you won't see no one. And Four is fine, nothin' goin' on. But Three is enough to scare the tar outta ya'. There's a damned meetin' in there, and I wouldn't even bother opening the door if I was you!' Well, he was confused. He says 'Nobody's s'posed to be meetin' in Three.' I just nod and say, 'Exactly, but you won't see 'em... trust me.' He thought I was crazier than a loon... until he come up to me at eight the next mornin', Sunday, and was shakin' like a leaf in a wind storm... just got off his watch. 'You're right,' says he, then he walked away."

By then Boss Hogg had joined the group, frowning severely at Luke, and any other Duke what got in range. "A bit of noise and you're turnin' tail?" He snorted his disapproval, but looked like he'd expected somethin' so cowardly from a Duke.

Bo got riled at that and stood to give him what for, but Luke shot out a hand and stopped his cousin. "Now, Boss, you ain't let me finish the story. It gets even worse than that. But, 'course, if'n you want a turn, I'd be happy to oblige ya'."

It was clear that Boss didn't want to join in telling ghost stories, especially true ones, so he just frowned and shook his head. Luke nodded, turning to the rest of the crowd. "Now, if'n y'all want, I can tell ya more, but we maybe should give someone else a shot." He reached hopefully for the cork compass, but a loud protest rose from the group and this time Bo's hand was the one stopping a Duke from doing something.

_**Balladeer: Betcha thought I'd done skipped out, didn't y'all? Well, I'm still here, just didn't want ta interrupt ole Luke during that tale. And it was a bit of a shaker, weren't it? Well, as no one wanted him to stop with the story, they wouldn't let him spin. So, he had to tell them more, and that's worth stickin' 'round for, ain't it?**_

To Be Continued in: Luke's Second Story (Chapter Five)


	5. Luke's Second Story

Title: Luke's Second Story

Author: Sam

Series: Halloween in Hazzard: 5 of 10

Note: This is a continuation of what happened to me in Navy Bootcamp.

Feedback: Yes, please? Especially constructive.

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_**Balladeer: Well, I ain't gonna say much. I jus' wanna hear Luke's next story.**_

Luke had a faraway look in his blue-gray eyes, thinking back on what'd happened while he'd been in Marines Basic Training. His voice was slow and thoughtful as he spoke. "Now, over the next few days strange things would happen. There was this boy from up New York way that liked to lead recruits into the back laundry room around midnight. I never took him up on the offer, but every man who did would come back shaking and scared. I asked one once what it was the New York boy did to everyone, and he said, 'The boy ain't done nothin'. He just stood in the dark and didn't make no noise.' So I ask why everyone was shook up, and the boy says, 'When you was standin' back there in the dark you felt like you was bein' watched from the other side, the side that the city boy weren't on.' When that boy asked me if I wanted a chance, I turned him down flat."

Shaking his head, Luke slowly said, "But I did have somethin' odd happen twice in the sittin' room. Weren't allowed in there unless you earned the right by doin' somethin' extra good. I'd be in there, studyin' alone, 'cause it weren't often two recruits got the reward at the same time. Suddenly, I'd smell perfume real strong. After the second time, I wouldn't go in there if I could help it." He grinned suddenly, as if something had struck him real funny. "Since none of the men wore perfume, I couldn't see where the smell'd be comin' from. After askin' 'round, we found out that some boy kilt himself in the laundry room a few years back, but that never did explain the perfume scent in the sittin' room."

Finally, Luke's attitude got real serious, and he leaned forward. It was obvious by his body language that he was about to tell the real story, the one he'd been trying to avoid all that time. And he started by saying, "I only talked 'bout this once before, and I don't wanna talk about it again, so pay attention. It's the only time I'll tell it." Everyone hushed up, though Luke was at least fair enough to wait for Roscoe and Daisy to get back with the round of beers the Sheriff had been obliged to buy.

When everyone was settled, quiet, and listening, Luke started his tale.

"There was several people involved, and to understand fully what happened, y'all gotta understand a little 'bout the men involved. That boy from Florida I mentioned before weren't the type to take no sass from nobody. He played by the rules. His logs was more accurate than anybody else I know'd and he weren't a very friendly boy.

"There were this boy from California who was real pleasant and liked to talk and was very friendly and outgoing. He was pretty smart, but he weren't too inventive like with stories. He usually stuck with the truth. And then there was the man from Tennessee. Now he was married, and left his wife back home, of course, but he was older'n most of us there, since we was seventeen or eighteen and he was nineteen or so. He was kinda a quiet, shy man who didn't speak above a whisper and who would never curse nor hurt anyone. He was a good country boy, and was always respectful to ever'body.

"The boy from Vermont was quiet, too, but more of a loner. He tried to follow the rules, but tended to get in trouble a lot. Now, while we was there, he said he used to talk in his sleep, which could get someone kicked outta the military, but he hadn't done it since he was fifteen. He seemed to think it was pretty impressive that he didn't sleep talk in English but in French. He was a real light sleeper; jus' 'bout anythin' woke him up, and he never would get back to sleep proper after he was woke. Of course, there was about forty-five other men in those barracks, but they'd all been asleep that night, so I won't bother 'bout them.

"This took place a coupla of nights 'fore we left. It was about change of sentry, and Florida was jus' getting' off watch and California goin' on. For some reason, I couldn't sleep, so I was up with them at the time. Florida decided to do one last tour of the barracks before goin' to bed, but he never got further than Vermont's bunk, 'cause the boy turned to him and opened his eyes. He started talkin' low with Florida. I couldn't hear everythin', but they was speakin' English, so, unless Vermont lied to us before, he weren't sleep talkin'.

"They was talkin' for half an hour when suddenly Tennessee, the real quiet man, started screaming loud enough to wake the next county. No one woke up, though. Vermont just turned back over and closed his eyes and was back to sleep before a cat could lick her ear, which was strange in itself, since I seen him wake up if someone whisper across the room. But he never stirs and this man just keeps on screaming, still asleep. He was cussin' and talkin' real vile, too, and that was somethin' odd, like Vermont sleepin' through his screams… Tennessee slept right next to Vermont, in fact.

"By then, California's eyes were round as pie plates, and we wasn't sure what was goin' on 'xactly. Then, when Tennessee quieted, everyone... every single person… started snorin'. But they snored at the same time and breathed at the same time... all forty-odd of 'em. It was eerie. Sound at the same time, then silence while everyone breathed, then noise again... several times. Then, just as suddenly, no one was snorin' anymore.

"Then, all of a sudden the new frame Florida'd put up yesterday fell down, the one with the Sentry Regulations hung in it. It simply slid down the wall. It didn't fall off the wall, or move out and scrape down the wall or nothin'. Those two inch screws never budged, and there was no marks or nothin'... but it was there, flush to the wall one minute, and the next, we watched it slide, still flush to the wall, down clean to the floor!

"I walked over to the sign, which was still against the wall on the floor. Sure enough, no marks on the wall and the screws were in as tight as before... just no longer in the wall. And the paint ain't been scraped... like the screws had gone in, but not come out... or chips would have come away when someone undone it, you know? I checked the screws, no dents, no breaks, nothin'. Perfectly solid, two-inch screws!

"Well, it was pretty quiet the rest of the night, and in the mornin', when Vermont woke up, he was real su'prised to hear he'd been talkin' to Florida in the night. Claimed he hadn't woke up once in the night. But while we was talkin' to him, Tennessee come over, real quiet like, and asks where was he 'bout two that mornin'. Seems that while we was busy with the sign, Tennessee'd woke up and didn't see Vermont anywhere, and he didn't check in with us, 'cause we didn't see nobody. We didn't see him get out of bed at all. And when asked, he didn't 'member Tennessee screamin', neither… and neither did Tennessee 'member that."

Luke crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair and looking dead serious. "I never was so glad to get out of those barracks a few days later when we shipped out." And with that, it was quite apparent he'd finished telling his story.

_**Balladeer: Well, with all them Dukes hoggin' the ghosts, I'm beginning to wonder if anyone else done seen anything weird. Don't go away, ya hear?**_

To Be Continued in: Cooter's Story (Chapter Six)


	6. Cooter's Story

Title: Cooter's Story

Author: Sam

Series: Halloween in Hazzard: 6 of 10

Characters added: none new

Note: By popular demand, this story has actually been extended to included more stories from other characters. As before, all (except the LAST one) are based on true encounters by me, my family, or friends. Thank you.

Second Note: This is based on my encounter on _Emily's Bridge_ in Stowe, Vermont. It happened to me, Merrianna, Mom, and my niece Kellynn (and dog Kodi). Only the names are changed.

Feedback: Yes, please? Especially constructive.

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_**Balladeer: Looks like Cooter's gonna have a go; this oughta be good.**_

After a long wait, in which the crowd made whispered comments about the stories they'd heard, Luke reached over and gave the cork a spin. He looked up, not bothering to watch the bobbing bit of cork and needle. "If it lands on me again, I ain't telling another story. It's someone else's turn." With minor protests, the crowd finally agreed. Luke really hadn't needed to worry, though, as when the cork stopped spinning, it was not pointing at him.

Under an onslaught of back slapping and laughter, Cooter grinned good-naturedly. "Okay, I got a story."

"It's gotta be true, Cooter," called one of the watching men.

He laughed and rocked back on his rear chair legs. "Course it's true!" Letting his chair come back to sit square on the floor, the wild mechanic leaned forward and said, "I'm gonna tell y'all about Hetty's Bridge."

With a frown, Enos shook his head. "Cooter, we all heard of Hetty's Bridge; the story's gotta be about something you saw."

"Or heard," jumped in Bo with a mischievous grin for his Uncle Jesse. Jesse frowned and pointed at him for quiet; Bo obeyed, his grin widening.

Cooter's grin never faltered. He nodded agreeably. "Course it happened to me." He looked around and added, "I got me some witnesses, too. My Mama was there. So was my cousin, Sue-Ann, and her daughter, Loribelle." The crowd hushed, apparently determining that these three witnesses would be adequate enough to prove he wasn't spinning them a yarn.

"So," he leaned back in his chair once more, "Now that's settled. Y'all heard o' Hetty's Bridge..."

"No, _I_ ain't," frowned Lulu. As a mug of cider appeared before her, the pretty woman looked up and her bright smile shone forth, "Why, thank you, Luke Honey," she cooed for the thoughtful Duke cousin who'd gotten her a drink as he sat down. Turning back to Cooter she asked, "What's so special about Hetty's Bridge?"

Looking surprised, Roscoe looked at his older sister. "Lulu, Hetty's Bridge is that covered bridge down by..."

"I know where it is, Roscoe. I ain't never been to it or heard no stories about it." Lulu frowned at her baby brother, fond exasperation in her glance.

Before it could turn into anything heated, Cooter hopped back in with a laugh. "Okay, for them that don't know the story, I'll tell it to all y'all." He grinned, then spoke. "Hester-Sue, they called her Hetty, was alive quite some time in the 1800's. She had a sweetheart, but for some reason her Daddy didn't like him for his little girl."

"What Daddy ever does?" quipped a listener to a bit of friendly chuckling. Cooter nodded, his grin wide, and continued. "Well, Hetty decided to run away with this boy in secret and marry him. They said they'd meet on a covered bridge off the Little Mahogany in Hazzard, where both lived. Well, her Daddy done proved right, 'cause that boy never showed. Hetty got real upset and hung herself."

Lulu gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth in shock. When Cooter looked like he'd stop, though, she waved a hand and half-whispered "Then what?"

Cooter searched the older woman's face carefully before continuing. "Well, now Hetty haunts the bridge, and done it ever since her death. There's been pictures took of her when no one was standing in the shot. There's have been cries and screams heard. Scratches or claw marks appear on the sides of horses or cattle made to go through the bridge, and along the paint jobs of cars driven through it sometimes. They say Hetty's a very vindictive spirit, and no one can pin a time or anything that makes her worse or better… she haunts when and how and who she wants to, apparently."

_**Balladeer: Well, that's creepy, but seeing as Ole Cooter weren't alive in the 1800's, that can't be the end of the story. I wonder what happened to him on Hetty's Bridge?**_

Not even Lulu seemed inclined to interrupt Cooter, so he swung into the next part of his tale. "Well, I told my cousin's girl, Loribelle, the story. She was about seven or eight and was really interested in haunts and stuff. She immediately wanted to go to Emily's Bridge. My cousin weren't happy 'bout that, I can tell you. Mama didn't see no harm, though, 'cause she don't believe in spooks, so she said she'd come to. Finally, Sue-Ann agreed we'd all go see the bridge." With a grin towards Luke Duke, Cooter added, "So we took my ole hound, Cody, and took off to track down the bridge."

"Sue-Ann was driving when we found it. It was a nice little bridge, covered and short, but definitely in good repair. We drove through the bridge and stopped on the other side, getting out. Except Sue-Ann, of course, she refused outright. She wanted nothing to do with a haunting so just sat in the car and watched. Maybe 'cause her mother was so worried, Loribelle got nervous all of a sudden, but she was an adventurous li'l girl so she climbed out and stood with Mama. I whistled for Cody, but Mama insisted I use a leash." Cooter's grin flashed over his wide face and he hooted, "Can't argue with mama, so I snapped that there leash on the hound and off we took. I walked her over the bridge."

Shifting, Cooter turned his eyes to each listener in turn. Seemingly satisfied, he nodded. "Things started happenin' right away! About two-thirds over the bridge, Cody shied away from the side of the bridge, pushing me towards the center of the road. She wouldn't obey any command I gave her, and all y'all know that Cody's my best hunter, ain't never disobeyed me 'fore or since. I turned her around, never got to the other side, and took her back. Mama had been taking pictures and asked why I'd stopped. I told her about Cody, and, would you believe she said I must have handled Cody's leash wrong? So she gave me the camera and took the dog leash; I weren't gonna argue. Mama lead her over the bridge and back while I took pictures, Loribelle next to me all the while, real alert. Mama came back, and nothing had happened while she'd walked Cody."

"Well, we put a bowl on the ground behind the car and filled it with water for Cody. She started drinkin' while Loribelle and I walked near the edge of the bridge, looking down on the large rocks and water down below. Suddenly, I hear a far off scream that seemed to come from the house across the bridge. I look up real quick. At the same time, Mama calls out "What was that?" and Loribelle calls "What happened?" I turn around, away from where the house was, and Mama and Loribelle was watching the hound, who had stopped drinking and was staring real hard across the bridge at the same house I'd been looking at, or so it seemed like. I was real nervous, and said "Maybe she heard something," trying to see if they, too, heard the scream. I didn't want them to get spooked or nothin' just 'cause I thought I'd heard someone screaming. Then it came again, and Cody's ears shot forward just as I hear that scream. I turned to the others and said "I wonder who that was." I was thinkin' maybe somebody'd gotten hurt over in the house across the bridge, but somehow I guessed that probably weren't it. Mama and Loribelle looked at me like I was a lunatic. The scream came a third time, and Cody was reacting very noticeably, but Mama and Loribelle seemed confused by her behavior. Finally, I broke down, desperate to not be the only one hearing what the hound was hearing, and I asked, "Don't you hear the screaming? It sounds like it's coming from somewhere near that house over the bridge! Don't tell me you can't hear it. Cody and I can."

Since the first time I'd heard the scream, I had my back to the dog, they had to agree that I'd actually heard something. But the others said they hadn't heard nothing. I insisted we get in the car and out of there. I was feeling more and more nervous. So, we split. Sue-Ann, driving the car away from the scene, said she ain't heard nothing, though she'd seen us reacting and knew I must have heard something by the way I looked. We got home and Loribelle was disappointed not to have seen or heard anything, so I pointed out that she'd seen me and the dog hear something. It was right after Sue-Ann and Loribelle went home that Mama told me she'd thought she'd heard screaming, too, but didn't want to scare Loribelle, so pretended she hadn't." Cooter leaned forward and said, "'Member that she said "What was that?"; Mama had heard it too!"

"Well, I ain't been back to Hetty's Bridge..." With that, Cooter leaned back in his chair and a collective breath was heard from the crowd.

Lulu shuddered and nodded. "Well, you can be sure that I won't either!"

A laugh, nervous but with a hint of relief, crossed through the place. Enos looked around and softly interrupted the laughter. "Well, Cooter, if'n you spin, we can have another story..."

Cotter grinned wide and obliged, laughing himself when the pointer landed on Enos.

_**Balladeer: I don't know if I can take much more. What about y'all? Well, if'n you think you can handle it, stick around. We'll be back in the shake o' a hound's ears.**_

To Be Continued in: Enos's Story (Chapter Seven)


	7. Enos's Story

Title: Enos's Story

Author: Sam

Series: Halloween in Hazzard: 7 of 10

Note: This is what happened to me in Mom's house about six months before my father's death.

Feedback: Yes, please? Especially constructive.

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Balladeer: Any o' y'all come back? Well, here goes; Enos is gonna tell his tale.

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Enos looked nervously at the bobbing cork, the needle pointing directly towards him. With a rather anxious look, the young officer looked up at the others positioned around the table. Suddenly, he realized that he didn't want to play any more. It wasn't because he didn't have any ghostly stories, witness Bo's tale at the beginning of the game. No, it was more like the only story he had left that he could think of, and it was something he'd never told anyone... even the Duke boys. But the officer was also the most honest, fair-minded man you could come across. Since the cork had pointed at _him_, it meant _he_ had to tell a story, even if he didn't want to.

"When I was a teenager," the young deputy began, Adam's apple bobbing nervously as he took a swig of beer to steady himself. "My Mama and Daddy had this ol' cat they called Cameo. She was a rather... uh... protective cat towards my Daddy: you know, didn't let people near him or anything less'n she was in a good mood. She weren't but rarely in a good mood, neither." Enos let his eyes drop down to his tightly clenched hand, his knuckles standing out white around the mug handle. With a conscious effort he relaxed the grip, afraid he might break the mug.

"Well, I went up to bed one night, stopped and petted the cat on the way, and went into my room. I guess that was a bit odd, as she weren't a friendly cat, but she'd let me pet her, so I didn't pay it no never mind. As soon as I hit the bed, I was asleep, too. Sometime in the night, I woke up but I didn't know why. I don't recall any noise or nothing out of the ordinary, but I had the feeling someone was in the room that was never there before. Then I felt a sense of danger, but it wasn't the spirit... it was a sense around the spirit. The spirit wasn't hostile."

Enos didn't meet anyone's eyes. He felt odd, telling the tale. He didn't want a lot of questions about being able to sense things, because it was... creepy. With a soft sigh, not checking to see who had suddenly come so close up behind him, he continued. "I was so sleepy, I couldn't fight it anymore and drifted back to sleep. Next, I woke up screaming as Mama called my name. She asked if I was okay, and I said I had been until she woke me up. She said there had been a very odd noise, but she and Daddy couldn't figure out where it come from. I fell instantly back to sleep, still not able to keep awake. Again, I woke up screaming as Mama called me a second time. She told me that Daddy's cat, Cameo, had died in the night, and that was the odd sound... her last breath."

Looking up nervously, seeing only awed belief in the eyes of those listening, Enos relaxed just a bit. "I never did get answers to some of my questions, neither. Like, was that the danger I felt? Had I sensed Cameo dying, and felt her spirit as it passed through? Is that what woke me the first time that night?" Enos shrugged, then jumped as he felt a hand gently fall to his shoulder. Looking up, he gave a weak smile to Daisy, who had been the one that'd come up behind him. She smiled gently back.

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Balladeer: Now what d'you say to a guy after a tale like that? He spun that cork and it landed on Lulu, and after a bit of talk she done realized she really did have somethin' creepy happen to her after all, so don't y'all leave.

continued in Lulu's Story


	8. Lulu's Story

Title: Lulus Story

Author: Sam

Series: Halloween in Hazzard: 8 of 10

Note: This happened to me and Merrianna in Salem, Massachusetts.

Feedback: Yes, please? Especially constructive.

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Balladeer: Well, Miss Lulu's gonna tell her story, and I sure hope nothin' too terrible happened to our Miss Lulu. She's down right nice. But I'll keep quiet now so'n you can hear the story.

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Lulu blushed prettily and smiled at the crowd around her, enjoying the attention. Her pretty face was alight with happiness, and she lifted a chubby hand to sip at the drink Luke had brought her earlier. Finally, when she was ready, she nodded and began her tale.

"Roscoe and I went to Boston, and on the way we stopped to look around Salem where all them witches was hung. We went to the Salem Witch Dungeon Museum, which has regular productions of a witch trial taken from actual court records for them trials. It weren't the original dungeon used during the trials mind; that had been lost until some time in the Fifties. The telephone company accidentally stumbled across the original dungeon, but destroyed it as no one was historically interested in it at the time. One beam was saved and it hangs in the Witch Dungeon Museum. But other than that, it's not even built on the same spot as the original dungeon was.

"Well, we walked in and I felt a bit off right away, but I figured it was because I knew we'd be seeing a play of the trials. I looked around the gift shop, bought a couple of things including a ghost book, and finally we were allowed into the first part of the museum, where the play would take place. I walked into that room and sat down on a pew and I got sudden all-over creeps. I felt like I shouldn't be there. I couldn't sit still. It had the feeling of being in a church, and not just because we were on pews under a pipe organ, either. I mean, it was the feeling of a real church to me. Roscoe, my baby brother, didn't get that feeling. I felt like we shouldn't be there, like we were trespassing on holy ground with our little witch hunting thing.

"Then the play started and I felt better, but very sad. I kept wanting to jump up and shout _"She's innocent, let her go"_, and had to force myself to stay quiet, 'cause it was only a play. It was very well done, but the feeling of sadness and disbelief was amazing. At the end, the guide told us that we should go down the steps into the museum, follow the hall at our own pace, then come up the end stairs into the gift shop... but she weren't gonna come with us. Then we were let downstairs into the replicated dungeon. I touched the beam from the real dungeon, it's supposed to be for luck if you're a woman, and I started walking through. As I walked further and further into the replicated dungeon I felt worse and worse. I felt jumpy and intensely... bad, like I had to leave that instant. The feeling of _"got to leave __**now**__" _intensified horribly and it got real bad near the replciation of this man being crushed to death under stones. It was a horrible feeling, and I hurried away down the hall. I was way ahead of the rest of the group, but I didn't care; I'd even left Roscoe behind me.

Finally I found my way back into the gift shop. Once there, I felt like there were people pressing in on me from all sides and I couldn't breath. It weren't my lungs; I could get air. But I felt like there was too many people there and it felt like someone was brushing up... actually pressing up... against my back the entire time. Like someone was pushing me, maybe. I bought a collector spoon for my collection, but didn't stay long enough to look around much. When Roscoe caught up, I left in a hurry. As soon as I was outside, I snapped at Roscoe and was generally upset for at least a block. Then, it went away. The oppressive, touching feeling went away very suddenly. I was fine, and felt guilty as anything for yelling at my baby brother." Lulu offered a small smile to Roscoe who looked anywhere but at her.

She looked back at the general crowd and spoke again. "The only thing I could say to him was how that place had made me feel. I told him that I was quite aware that it was a replica and nowhere near the place the real dungeon had been, but that it felt haunted... like someone was there and was very upset about us being there. I didn't feel like it was a haunting linked with the Witch Dungeon at all, either. We went to a restaurant and I took out that book on Haunted Salem that I had picked up right before going into the play and started looking through it while we waited for our food. In the table of contents was listed the Witch Dungeon Museum. So, I read that entry, and wouldn't you know it? It used to be a church, and the ghost of a Monk is said to still haunt the place. He is especially present at the replica of the crushing of Giles Corey under a lot of heavy stones. The Monk is said to be a wrathful spirit, which means he's unhappy and not wanting us around there!"

Lulu sat back in her seat with a nod of finality. She crossed her pudgy arms and watched as shook and a bunch of other emotions played over the faces of the listening crowd. Finally, when they started getting a bit louder than she apparently liked, Lulu Hogg reached over and turned the cork so that the pointer faced her beloved baby brother, Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane. With a smug smile, she feigned surprise and called out above the noise, "Why, Roscoe, I do believe it's your turn!"

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Balladeer: Remind me never to go to Salem, Massachusetts. I do like Miss Lulu's style, though. Roscoe weren't too happy about the way she'd set him up, but Boss Hogg... y'all remember he was listening in, right?... Well, Boss would let Roscoe back out, so he had to tell the next tale. And ole Roscoe may've just had the creepiest tale of the night. Stick around now, y'hear?

Continued in Roscoe's Tale


	9. Roscoe's Story

Title: Roscoe's Story

Author: Sam

Series: Halloween in Hazzard: 9 of 10

Note: This happened to me, my friends, Jamie and Ricky, and their mother, Patty, when I was a teenager.

Feedback: Yes, please? Especially constructive.

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Balladeer: Well, Lulu went and tricked Roscoe into having to tell a spooky story. And I got the feeling this'll be the last one of the night. So, let's settle in and enjoy.

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Roscoe frowned at his older sister but didn't argue with her. He was too used to Lulu having her own way. And it wasn't like he could protest, either; he'd told her about the horrifying event when it'd happened. With a shake of his head, frown firmly in place, the normally exciteable Sheriff merely stared straight ahead as he began his tale.

"I was just turned thirteen, so was pretty dumb." For once none of the crowd decided to get a quip in supporting his self-derision. "I was over the other end of Hazzard with a coupla pals of mine, Barnabie and Jacob, and we'd bene huntin'. It was late by then, and we went up to Barnie's house to spend the night. His Mama, Rosie, was there and that mean old grandma of theirs, only she stayed shut upstairs in her rooms and we was all down in the cellar. We had that single bulb on over our heads and it shone well enough to see every corner of the small place, which was stuffed full of odds an' ends. There was broken furniture and old 'shine bottles and heaps of newsprint everywhere. What struck me odd, though, was there were a couple o' brand new games in the corner, never been opened or had their wrappers taken off or nothing. A baby cat was in there, too, strayed in from the barn I guess. He was scratching away at one of the other corners, probably looking for mice, but we ain't seen none, so i don't think he'd a found any."

Roscoe was amazingly a born story-teller, setting the scene for the spook story with a thuroughness the other wouldn't have really expected. Without looking at any one person, he sipped his beer and continued. "Well, being young and foolish, I was wantin' a bit of excitement. Barnie's Mama Rosie was a witch, or so she claimed, and was teaching her two boys the same things. Well, I never believed such talk, but that night... well, I ain't never forgot, and I ain't never gone back, neither." Here, he looked directly at his sister, who had the grace to blush, having put him in this situation.

"Barnie says he wants to call up spirits, and I went along. I near always went along with anything Barnie said back then. Rosie was all for it, but said we needed to do it up right, so she brings out candles an' a bottle of red wine. I hadn't really expected someone poor as Rosie to have wine, but I didn't question it, neither. They gave me the honor of lightin' the candle, and I did it happily. Then we poored the wine and each had a sip. It wasn't too bad, neither. That's when we fell to talkin' 'bout who we wanted to call up. Rosie wanted her father, who'd died when she was young. I wasn't sure who I wanted to talk to, being that I thought of this as a big game, really. Well, Barnie had to go and get stupid and say he wants to call up the devil. We all three started yellin' at him... come to think on it, until then Jacob had been pretty quiet; normally he was as louder than his brother, but that night it was like they was switched.

"Just as we get Barnie to agree not to try to call up no evil, the candle goes out and so does the lightbulb. There was no flicker, no breeze, no nothing. Just one minute both was one, the next, they was off like they'd never been on. We were too scared to do anythin' and Rosie lets out a gasp. The scratching in the corner from that kitten stopped, and just as the sound stopped, the lightbulb and the candle pop back on again. The baby cat was sitting in my lap, and I never felt him jump up there. We're waitin' for that Grandma to yell, since the cellar light and her upstairs light was on the same circuit, but not a sound came from her. Jacob even asked her later if she noticed anythin', and she thought he was bein' stupid and told him so.

Sittin' there, tryin' to figure out what happened, Rosie suddenly pulled up her trousers leg and we all see it: four diamond-shaped bite marks in her leg, bleeding fresh. She was scared, you could see it, and she swore that she hadn't had any marks, old or new, before the lights went out. Barnie pointed to those new games that was sittin' in the corner, waitin' for someone's birthday no doubt, and we was all shocked. One of them had the wrapper off and four diamonds cut into the box top. The diamonds weren't all the same, neither. One was just an outline, one had the color pulled off, another was half-through the box, and the last was clean through. There weren't no sign of the wrapper or the bits that had been cut out, neither. We decide it was some kind o' warnin', and didn't mess around like that again."

Roscoe finished his tale, and Lulu was shaking. She'd forgotten just how terrifying that had been when he'd told her the first time. Everyone just stared at each otehr blankly for a long moment, then looked away, none of them looking at Roscoe or his sister. The entire group had to admit, out of all the tales, Roscoe's was the most terrifying.

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Balladeer: Now that was down right creepy. The party broke up jus' after that, and I tell you I'm glad it did. I don't think I could take another story like them people tell. But, nothin' ever goes the way ya think it will in Hazzard, and that came real clear when the Dukes was going home. So, stick 'round now, ya hear?

Continued in The Final Story


	10. The Final Story

Title: The Final Story

Author: Sam

Series: Halloween in Hazzard: 10 of 10

Note: The events in this chapter are _**NOT**_ based on a real event that I am aware of, unlike the others.

Feedback: Yes, please? Especially constructive.

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_**Balladeer: Well, at the beginnin' of this here ev'nin' I mentioned as to how them Dukes weren't gonna have no fun with those ghost stories. Well, here's the part where they find out what I mean 'xactly.**_

Luke slid into the shotgun seat of the General Lee, the orange stock car he owned with his cousin, Bo. Placing the fiddle carefully in the back seat, he turned to watch Bo settling himself in the driver's seat. "So, how many phone numbers did you get, Bo?"

The blond next to him laughed, "Why? Couldn't get none after those far fetched stories you told?" He turned his grin on Luke to show there was no hard feelings.

His cousin returned the grin, though not as enthusiastically.

Behind them, Daisy slid into the driver's seat of her jeep, Dixie. She signaled that she was all situated, turning to see Jesse, in his old white pickup truck already pulling out. Happily, she followed her cousins from the lot of the Boar's Nest.

As the three vehicles raced down the road towards the Duke farm, Bo kept up a constant back and forth chatter with Daisy over the CB. They were reminiscing about the party a bit, but thoughtfully were leaving out mention of Luke's stories, for which their cousin was very thankful. Then, they rounded a bend.

In front of them was a dark pickup and a large four-door car. Both were filled with people laughing and apparently having a good time. Suddenly the car swerved, spinning as the driver tried to recover the road. That may have been the stupidest thing he could've done, because the truck hadn't time to maneuver around him. The car, facing the way it'd come, and the truck still going full tilt slammed head on, to the horror of the Duke family, who'd managed to pull over before getting involved in the accident.

Screams filled the air as all four piled out of their vehicles, racing forward to help the victims of the crash. Luke made it to the side of the pickup while Bo and Jesse sprinted ahead to the side of the four-door. Daisy started trying to help Luke. The smell of gasoline was strong, mixing with the smell of blood and burnt flesh.

Pulling back his arm, Luke slammed his elbow into the truck window, feeling pain as he connected and hearing the shattering noise of glass as he and Daisy were showered with shards. He reached in, pulling the driver back from where he was slumped over the wheel. The man's blue-gray eyes were wide and staring, dead; with a shudder Luke reached past him for the woman in shotgun, but she hadn't survived either.

Daisy, however, was trying to help those who'd been in the back of the pickup. There were two couples: three of the people thrown from the back but one still wedged in by twisted metal. She started checking each one, trying to find a single heartbeat or pulse without success.

The screams continued as Bo and Jesse fought their way through twisted metal to get at the two couples in the four-door. It wasn't easy, and the results were terrifying. Bo managed to pull a pretty blonde woman from the back as Jesse jumped in horror at the sight of the driver's injured face.

"Back up! Leave them cars alone!" Jesse was backing up as quick as he could, while making the sign of the cross, his voice near panic as he yelled to his nephews and niece.

Daisy protested, knowing at least two people in the crash hadn't been checked yet and hearing those awful screams. At Jesse's more insistent demand, however, she reluctantly backed from the accident. Luke ignored his uncle's warning and sprinted around towards the car when a spark suddenly flared up, igniting the leaking gas.

Jesse shielded Daisy, and Bo protected the woman, as the cars blew up, sending Luke flying into the ditch, hard.

"Luke!" Daisy broke away from her uncle and hurried to check on her cousin.

Jesse headed for Bo, noting to himself grimly that the screams had ended with the explosion. He reached down a hand to help his nephew up, but the man just sat there dazed. His pure blue eyes looked up with confusion as he asked, "Jesse, what happened? Where's the girl?" She was nowhere to be found. In fact, oddly enough, there was no sign of either wreck or fire. The road was as clear as if nothing had happened at all.

The old man shook his head. "Ain't no girl, Bo. Let's get on outta here." Without further explanation, he herded the younger man to the side of the road where Daisy and Luke were. Luke was sporting a head injury, as well as a sprained wrist, from being thrown across the road, but he'd be fine. To much protests and questions by the three young people, Uncle Jesse got them in their vehicles and back to the farm.

Once there, while the group was in the kitchen and Jesse was fixing up Luke's injuries, they finally got the sober explanation they sought.

"That accident we saw tonight ain't happened for near on twenty years."

"Whatcha mean, Uncle Jesse?" Bo was shaking, unable to get the face of the lady from his mind. She'd had a pulse, had even blinked open pretty blue eyes. That woman was so familiar, but such a stranger, to the young man... it was eerie. Just as eerie was how everything had just vanished. Bo didn't want to believe the only explanation that came to mind.

Jesse shook his head, frowning softly. "I mean, Bo, that you weren't seeing a real accident."

"Uncle Jesse, are you askin' us to believe that there was nothin' there? That Luke threw himself across the road?" Daisy's voice was incredulous as she filled cups of lemonade for them all. There was a haunted expression in her eyes, though.

"No," Jesse stopped, looking straight at each Duke cousin in turn, then sank into his chair with a sigh. "What you saw happened near twenty years ago. I don't claim to know just what throwed Luke, nor do I aim to find out."

Bo shook his head. "How do you know that was such an old accident, then? What about that woman I pulled out?"

Taking a sip, trying to keep his hands steady, Jesse shook his head. "I knowd 'cause that woman you pulled out was your Mama, Bo. I recognized your Daddy when I checked on him."

Everyone froze, except Jesse, staring at their uncle with wide eyes.

"What y'all saw," Jesse went on, "was like a ghost of the accident they was all in."

That caused utter chaos as the cousins immediately clamored to try to figure out just what was going on, what they'd seen, and how Luke had been throw from a ghost blast. That was a Halloween none of the Dukes would ever forget, even though after several long hours, they'd be wishing it never happened at all.

_**Balladeer: Well, things were talked over pretty good that night, and ain't no one on the Duke farm get much sleep. But, things have a way of workin' out in Hazzard. So don't y'all worry none, 'cause them Dukes discussed that there hauntin' and come out closer than ever. And, that's the legend 'bout how a night of spook stories turned into a night of spooks for them Dukes. See y'all.**_

FIN


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